Claire has over a decade of research experience in marine fisheries ecology and more recently on an interdisciplinary social science project through the UK SMMR (Sustainable Management of Marine Resources) network. Claire has worked closely with the UK fishing industry, government and third-sector organisations and across the science/policy interface throughout her career. She has participated in a whole range of engagement activities including science-industry workshops, international conferences and management meetings. Her strong background in statistical modelling, spatial analysis and habitat mapping is complemented by continual collaboration with industry and extensive experience of survey work at sea.
Claire was awarded her PhD on “Population characteristics and environmental interactions of the king scallop fishery in the English Channel” at Bangor University. Following that she has completed industry and EU funded projects to quantitatively assess the ecological impacts of fisheries; how fishing patterns and practices are impacted by external drivers; and has produced a tool for fisheries managers to quantify the outcomes of spatial and technical gear management measures for bottom-towed gear fisheries. At PML, Claire will utilise her expertise to support the development of processes and tools to apply Ecosystem Service approaches to pertinent challenges facing the marine renewable energy sector in the drive towards UK net zero carbon emissions and ‘marine net gain’ policy objectives.
- Szostek, C.L., Hiddink, J.G., Sciberras, M., Shepperson, J.L., Thompson, S., Hormbrey, S., Caveen, A., Lart, W., Rodmell, D., Kaiser, M.J. (2022). A tool to estimate the contribution of fishing gear modifications to reduce benthic impact. Journal of Industrial Ecology 26: 1858-1870.<
- Delargy, A.J., Blackadder, L., Bloor, I., McMinn, C., Rudders, D.B., Szostek, C.L., Dobby, H., Williams, J., Stewart, B., Stokesbury, K.D.E. (2022). A global review of catch efficiencies of towed fishing gears targeting scallops. Reviews in Fisheries Science and Aquaculture doi:10.1080/23308249.2022.2139170
- Hold, N., Robins, P., Szostek, C.L., Lambert, G.I., Lincoln, H., Le Vay, L., Bell, E., Kaiser, M.J. (2021). Using bio-physical modelling and population genetics for conservation and management of an exploited species, Pecten maximus L. Fisheries Oceanography 30(6): 740-756.
- Lawrence, A., Heenan, A., Levine, ….. Szostek, C.L., Ford, H., Southworth, L., Sannassy Pillay, J., Richardson, L. & Williams, G. J., (2021). Spatial and temporal scales of coral reef fish ecological research and management: a systematic map protocol. In: Environmental Evidence. 10, 3.
- Handal, W., Szostek, C.L., Hold, N, Andrello, M., Thiébaut, E., Harney, E., Lefebvre, G., Borcier, E., Jolivet, A., Nicolle, A., Boyé, A., Foucher, E., Boudry, P., Charrier, G. (2020). New insights on the population genetic structure of the great scallop (Pecten maximus) in the English Channel coupling microsatellite data and demo-genetic simulations." Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, doi:10.1002/aqc.3316
- Sciberras M, Hiddink J, G., Jennings S, Szostek C, L., Hughes K, M., Kneafsey B, Pullin A, S., Ellis N, Rijnsdorp AD, McConnaughey RA, Hilborn R, Collie JS, Pitcher CR, Amoroso RO, Parma AM, Suuronen P, Kaiser M.J. (2018). A global synthesis of the response of benthic invertebrates to bottom fishing to inform best-practices for management. Fish & Fisheries doi:10.1111/faf.12283.
- Hiddink, J.G., Jennings, S., Sciberras, M., Szostek, C.L., Hughes, K.M., Ellis, N., Rijnsdorp, A.D., McConnaughey, R.A., Mazor, T., Hilborn, R., Collie, J.S., Pitcher, R., Amoroso, R.O., Parma, A.M., Suuronen, P., Kaiser, M.J. (2017). Global analysis of depletion and recovery of seabed biota after bottom trawling disturbance. Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Science doi: 10.1073/pnas.1618858114.
- Szostek, C.L., Murray, L.G., Bell, E., Kaiser, M.J. (2017). Filling the gap: Using fishers’ knowledge to map the extent and intensity of fishing activity. Marine Environmental Research 129: 329-346.
- Mark E. M. Walton, Jamie Hayes, Mohsin Al-Ansi, Mohamed Abdallah, Ibrahim Al Maslamani, Mohammed Al-Mohannadi, Ismail Al-Shaikh, Tim D’Urban Jackson, Claire Szostek, Jack Egerton, Michel J. Kaiser, Lewis Le Vay. (2017). Towards Spatial Management of Fisheries in the Arabian Gulf: Benthic diversity, habitat and fish distributions from Qatari waters. ICES Journal of Marine Science, doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsx116
- Shepperson, J., Hintzen, N.T., Szostek, C.L., Bell, E., Murray, L.G., Kaiser, M.J. (2017). A comparison of VMS and AIS data; the effect of data coverage and vessel position recording frequency on estimates of fishing footprints. ICES Journal of Marine Science 75, (3): 988–998.
- Szostek, C.L., Murray, L.G., Bell, E., Lambert, G., Kaiser, M.J. (2016). Regional variation in bycatches associated with king scallop (Pecten maximus L.) dredge fisheries. Marine Environmental Research. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.11.006.
- Szostek, C.L., Murray, L.G., Bell, E., Rayner, G., Kaiser, M.J. (2015). Natural versus fishing disturbance: drivers of community composition on traditional king scallop, Pecten maximus, fishing grounds. ICES Journal of Marine Science. doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsv15
- Szostek, C.L., Davies, A.J., Hinz, H. (2013). The impact of elevated levels of suspended particulate matter and burial on juvenile king scallops, Pecten maximus L. Marine Ecology Progress Series 474: 155-165.